PENETRATION OF SOME COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE FLUORIDE GELS INTO OCCLUSAL FISSURES INVITRO

The rate and ability of fissure penetration of several commercially available fluoride gels were assessed in an in vitro fissure model. It was found that penetration depended on the fissure form, the surface tension and the viscosity of the gel. With the exception of one very viscous gel, all gels were able to penetrate into the shallow-wide fissure, but only two out of the five fluoride gels tested could penetrate into the deep-narrow fissure within 4 min. All gels with good penetration characteristics contained a surface-active agent and had a viscosity lower than 1200 mPa s. Not only the fluoride component but also the gel composition are important factors which influence the efficiency of dental fluoride gels. © 1990.